Golden Arrows have once again released goalkeeper Nkosingiphile Gumede, just months after making a U-turn to welcome him back to the team during the pre-season.
The 31-year-old shot-stopper was meant to part ways with Abafana Bes’thende at the end of the previous season when his contract with the club came to an end.
He was initially released along with the other goalkeeper, Sfiso Mlungwana, who had been with the club for close to seven years. However, when the team returned for the pre-season, preparing for the 2025/26 campaign, Gumede came back and trained with them.
He also took part in the KZN Premier’s Cup, indicating a possible extension of his stay at the club.
GUMEDE AND ARROWS DIDN’T AGREE ON NEW TERMS
Now, it appears that the two parties recently couldn’t reach an agreement on a new contract, which has prompted the player to seek a move to another club.
Gumede rose through the club’s youth ranks and was promoted to the first team in 2011. He then made his debut in a match against Ajax Cape Town [Cape Town Spurs] in December, the same year.
He was once a key player for Arrows, enjoying a significant run as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper for three consecutive seasons, demonstrating his reliability between the posts.
The 31-year-old played in 24 games across all competitions in the 2016/17 season, followed by 22 games in 2017/18 and 23 in the 2018/19 campaign.
In his time with Abafana Bes’thende, Gumede played in 132 matches. During those games, he conceded 148 goals and managed to keep 33 clean sheets.
During his stint at Arrows, Gumede was part of the Bafana Bafana squad that played in the two-legged CHAN qualifier against Angola in 2015. He also formed part of the national team squad that played in the 2016 COSAFA Cup.
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